Louisiana State Agencies and Departments Directory

Louisiana's executive branch operates through 20 cabinet-level departments and dozens of boards, commissions, and auxiliary agencies, each established by statute under the Louisiana Revised Statutes or the Louisiana Constitution. This directory maps the structure of state government, identifies the primary function of each major department, clarifies how agencies relate to constitutional officers, and establishes the boundaries between state authority and federal or local jurisdiction. Service seekers, researchers, and professionals navigating licensing, regulatory compliance, or public benefit programs will find the structural framework of state government laid out here as a reference index.

Definition and scope

Louisiana's state agency framework is organized under Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes (La. R.S. 36:1 et seq.), which codifies the executive branch reorganization enacted in 1977. That reorganization consolidated state functions into a cabinet model under the Governor, with departments headed by secretaries appointed at the Governor's discretion. Constitutional offices — including the Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, and the Lieutenant Governor — are separately elected and operate with independent statutory authority, distinct from cabinet departments.

The full Louisiana state agencies landscape includes:

  1. 20 principal executive departments — each with a secretary and defined programmatic jurisdiction
  2. Constitutional offices — 6 statewide elected officers with independent mandates
  3. Independent boards and commissions — bodies such as the Louisiana Civil Service Commission and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, operating outside direct executive control
  4. Auxiliary agencies — offices within the Division of Administration providing cross-agency services

The Governor appoints secretaries for all 20 departments, subject to Louisiana Senate confirmation. Agency appropriations originate in the legislature under Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution and are administered through the Office of Planning and Budget within the Division of Administration.

Scope and coverage limitations: This directory covers state-level executive departments, constitutional officers, and independent regulatory bodies operating under Louisiana state law. It does not cover federal agencies operating within Louisiana (such as the Army Corps of Engineers' New Orleans District), tribal governmental entities, or municipal and parish-level authorities. Actions by the Louisiana legislative branch and the Louisiana judicial branch fall outside the scope of this agency directory. For parish-level government structures, see the Louisiana parishes reference.

How it works

Each of the 20 cabinet departments operates under a secretary who reports directly to the Governor. Departments are internally divided into offices and bureaus aligned with statutory program areas. Rulemaking authority is delegated by the legislature through enabling statutes; agencies promulgate rules in the Louisiana Administrative Code, administered by the Office of the State Register within the Secretary of State's office (Louisiana Secretary of State).

The Division of Administration, headed by the Commissioner of Administration, provides centralized services — including budget, procurement, human resources, and information technology — to all departments. This differs from peer states where those functions may be distributed across independent agencies.

Key departments by primary function:

Common scenarios

Professionals and service seekers interact with state agencies across three broad scenarios:

Licensing and credentialing: Occupational licenses are administered across multiple agencies. Contractor licensing falls under the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC). Healthcare professional licenses are administered through the Louisiana Department of Health or independent licensing boards (e.g., the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners). Environmental permits — including air quality permits under Title V of the Clean Air Act — require coordination between the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. EPA.

Benefits and public assistance: Medicaid enrollment, SNAP eligibility determinations, and child support enforcement are processed through the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Family Services respectively. Federal funding for these programs flows through the state treasury, with matching ratios set by federal statute.

Regulatory compliance: Businesses operating in Louisiana must identify the correct regulatory agency for their sector. The Louisiana Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned utilities and motor carriers. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board licenses and enforces gaming operations. The Louisiana Ethics Administration administers financial disclosure and ethics requirements for public employees and contractors.

Decision boundaries

Cabinet department vs. constitutional office: A cabinet department operates under a Governor-appointed secretary who serves at the Governor's pleasure. A constitutional office — such as the Louisiana Attorney General or the Louisiana State Treasurer — is filled through statewide election and cannot be abolished or reorganized by the Governor alone. Legal challenges to agency actions are routed differently depending on whether the action originates from a cabinet department or a constitutional officer.

State agency vs. independent board: Independent boards and commissions (the Civil Service Commission, the Gaming Control Board, the Ethics Administration) are insulated from direct executive control by statute or constitutional provision. Their members serve fixed terms and may only be removed for cause. Cabinet secretaries, by contrast, serve at the Governor's discretion with no fixed term. This distinction controls the applicable administrative procedure, the standard of review in appeals, and the legislative oversight mechanism.

State jurisdiction vs. federal jurisdiction: Where a state agency administers a federally funded or federally authorized program — such as Medicaid, Clean Air Act permitting, or SNAP — federal program requirements preempt conflicting state rules. Disputes within those programs may be appealed to both state administrative tribunals and federal agencies. Purely state-funded programs (e.g., state tax administration under the Louisiana Department of Revenue) are governed exclusively by Louisiana law.

For a broader orientation to Louisiana's governmental structure, including constitutional foundations and the relationship between the three branches, see the Louisiana government authority home.

References